Golf-ball.



No. 697,92I. Patented Apr. I5, |902.

E. KEMPSHALL.

G 0 L F B A L L.

(Applicaticvn filed Mar. 12, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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Yllivrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELEAZER KEMPSIIALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE KEMPSIIALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEV JERSEY.

GOLF-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 697,921, dated April l15, 1902.

Application filed March 12, 1902. Serial No. 97,884. (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom. it muy concern.-

Be it known that I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, a citizen of the United States, residingin Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Balls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to balls such as used in golf and other games; and its object is to produce a ball of improved quality and increased efliciency, and especially to enable it to carry far when given a hard blow without being unduly sensitive to alight blow. I produce a durable ball which is capable of absorbing from an implement a great momentum and which has uniform action, so that a given blow always produces practically the same result, thus conducing to reliability and accuracy of action. I preferably construct the ball with a core of gutta-percha, a twoply expanded envelop of soft rubber, and a shell of celluloid.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is a View of a finished ball made in accordance with my present improvements, portions thereof being broken away, so as to exhibit its construction. Fig. 2 is a view of a rubber envelop. Fig. 3 shows a shell-segment in cross-section. Fig. 4. is a diagrammatic sectional view illustrating the maipner of compressing a shell upon an inner In the several views similar parts are designated by similar letters or characters of reference.

Over a large gutta-percha sphere A, whose diameter is preferably two-thirds that of the finished ball, I draw successive envelops B C of softrubber, the sphere being too large for the original capacity of the envelops, so that the latter are expanded, the rubber being tensioned in all directions around said sphere. Said envelops taken together form a yielding envelop for the core. Preferably the mouths of the envelops or bags are filled in by rubber disks D and E. The envelops are arranged so that the mouth of one is closed or reinforced by the body of the other. 'The ball thus enveloped is placed between hemispher ical segments F and G, Fig. 4, formed in this instance of celluloid in a suitable condition, and these assembled parts are placed between dies H and J, whereupon thelatter are brought together forcibly, whereby the shells which are preferably too large to fit snugly on the dies) are forced together until their edges are welded. The dies may be heated, so as t0 bring the material of the segments into a plastic condition. The compression is maintained while the shell cools and hardens, thus completing the ball, as at F', Fig. l. 'lhe material of the shell is compressed between the dies and the resisting center piece Within the shell. This center piece is first prepared somewhat oversize, and the resistance of the center piece while under compression furnishes a substantial support for sustaining the shell. Owing to the tension of the rubber envelops, they are not liable to squeeze out between the edges of the segments as they come together.- The compression and heating solidiiies and toughens the celluloid and also places the center piece and the envelop A3 under external compression. Thus it will be seen that the core R is in a compressed condition, while the rubber envelops are in a condition throughout of longitudinal distention and transverse compression. At thesame time the shell F is in a state of'longitudinal tension, due to the constant outward pressure of the rubber. The material of the entire ball from center to periphery is hence at least to some extent under pressure or tension, or both, and hence in an abnormal highly-alert condition,so

that every particle of the ball which feels the impact of a blow acts with promptness and vigor in response thereto, and an extraordinary degree of eiiiciencyis attained. It will alsobe understood that the outward pressure of the compressed members has the useful effect of constantly tending to maintain the shell F in a true spherical form, and

hence aids materially in the instant restoration of the shell to its spherical shape after a blow. The opposition of the confined mass to further compression renders it of especial value as a support or backing for the somewhat-frangible material of the shell. The resilient and rupture-proof characteristics of the ball are greatly augmented by reason of IOO the compressed condition of the inner ball, u since it is rendered unnecessary for the shell to yield to a great depth in order to set up in the confined mass a degree of compression sufficient to properly support the shell against a blow. In short, the ball has capacity for receiving a large amount of power by transmission from the driver with a minimum amount of transformation of power into work within the ball itself, and its efficiencyis due in large measure to putting the rubberenvelops in a state of high initial tension. When given a very light blow, its lat-ent elasticity is not brought into play, and it acts more like a dead ball; but when struck a blow of medium force considerable of its latent power is called forth, and when given a severe blow it eX- hibits phenomenal energy. The flying power of the ball increases vastly out of proportion to the force of the blow, thus rendering it in the highest degree desirable for both short plays and long drives. The Celluloid shell, it will also be understood, is smooth, and hence oers a minimum of resistance to the flowing of air over its surface during the flight of the ball and by reason of its slippery nature receives less opposition from the grass through which it is driven during the game. It not only retains its Color, but also resists being chipped by an implement or stone against which it may be driven. In using the term Celluloid I refer to Celluloid compounds generally and do not limit myself to any particularvariety of such compound or to any particular grade or mixture of Celluloid composition. Under the shock of a blow the solid core, if slightly displaced from its true central position, affects somewhat the material of the rubber envelops at the opposite side of the ball from the implement and also affects other portions of the en velops, so that by reason of such displacement almost if not all of the material of the envelops is called into greater action and more powerfully reacts, therebyimparting a higher degree of activity or liveliness to the ball and causing the same to leave the implement at higher velocity.

An important advantage of my invention resides in the durability of the ball, since for the envelopsI employ rubber, which is not liable to deterioration, so that the ball not only withstands severe usage, but remains in its original elastic condition for a long time and remains intact even if the shell is destroyed. By tensioning the rubber after the manner of my invention it is given a remarkable promptness in action, and the abnormal Condition of the rubber is obtained in large part f at least independently of the shell, hence avoiding the objection of subjecting the shell to destructive internal pressure.

In my application iled September 27, 1901, Serial N o. 76,814, is described and claimed a playing-ball having a Celluloid shell compressed upon a yielding'lilling or core, and in an application iled by me December 18, 1901, Serial No. 86,348, is claimed the process of making a ball with a Celluloid shell. In my other pending application, Serial No. 88,065, filed January 2, 1902, I show a shelll compressed upon a solid sphere of soft rubber.

The Claims herein are limited to novel features of invention not disclosed in said applications. In my pending application, Serial No. 86,346, filed December 18, 1901, is

shown an unexpanded rubber envelop uponv shell upon said rubber and gutta-percha; said rubber bag having sufficient elasticity and a mouth of sufficient size to permit the insertion of said sphere bodily thereinto.

2. A playing-ball comprising a spherical gutta-percha core, a plurality of soft-rubber envelops or bags drawn over said core, one envelop inclosing another, and each of said envelops being in a state of expansion, and a hard, Wear-resisting shell formed from plastic material and compressed upon said envelops.

3. A playing-ball comprising a spherical gutta-percha core, a hard shell, and a plurality of rubber bags or envelops drawn over said core and Compressed between the latter and said shell; the mouth of one envelop being closed or reinforced by the body of another.

4. In a playing-ball, the combination of a hard sphere, a soft-rubber bag distended thereon, and a shell consisting at least partially of Celluloid and compressed upon said rubber and sphere; said rubber bag having sufficient elasticity and a mouth of sufficient size to permit the insertion of said sphere bodily thereinto.

5. In a playing-ball, the combination of a hard sphere, a soft-rubber bag distended thereon, and a shell consisting at least partially of celluloid; said rubber bag having sufficient elasticity and a mouth of sufficient size to permit the insertion of said sphere bodily thereinto, and said shell being formed from spherical segments which are welded together at their edges.

6. In a playing-ball, the combination of a hard sphere, a soft-rubber bag distended thereon, a disk of rubber closing the mouth of said bag, and a hard, wear-resisting shell formed from plastic material and compressed upon said rubber and gutta-percha said rubber bag having sufficient elasticity and a mouth of sufcient size to permit the insertion of said sphere bodily thereinto.

7. Aplaying-ball comprising a spherical gutta-percha core, a hard shell, a plurality of rubber bags upon said core and compressed between the latter and said shell, and a disk closing the mouth of each of said bags; the body of one envelop overlying the mouth of another.

8. A playing-ball comprising a hard core roo Ito

and a succession of complete soft-rubber envelops inclosing said core.

9. A playing-ball comprising a hard Gore, a

succession of complete softlrubber envelopsv inelosing said core, and a hard shell upon said envelops, said shell holding said envelops and core under compression.

l0. A playing-ball comprising a hard core formed from plastic material, a plurality of complete rubber envelops upon said core, and 1 o a hard shell formed from plastic material.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL.

Witnesses:

B. C. STICKNEY, JOHN O. SEIFERT. 

